Shower Room Ideas: 14 Designs for Updates and New Spaces (2023)

FAQs

How do you style a shower room? ›

Neutral colours make will make your shower room feel calm and pleasant. Also, dark shades work well in small spaces, as they can make the room feel luxurious and inviting. Matching wall and floor tiles provide the illusion of more space. This creates a seamless design that's chic and modern.

An average-sized shower room should be around 1,700mm x 1,600mm – 2,000mm. But as we've mentioned, there are no hard and fast rules. You may prefer a much bigger shower room or you may want to sacrifice having a toilet in place of a large rectangular tray or walk-in shower.

In general, a shower should measure at least 36 square inches. However, if your bath space is especially petite, 30 square inches is the absolute minimum space requirement for a shower. To determine the minimum shower size you'll need, step inside a few showers at a plumbing showroom or home improvement store.

Shower room means a structure or room that contains at least one shower head and at least one floor drain, but does not contain a bathtub, lavatory, water closet, urinal, or water free urinal.

Porcelain tile is the most durable option. It's made from denser clays than ceramic and fired for longer at a higher temperature, making it stronger and less porous. As a result, it's highly resistant to water. Porcelain tile is also low maintenance, which is an upside for many homeowners.

It's typically best to have your shower door slide open on the side that is closest to the faucet controls.

The showerhead should be placed so it directs water toward the body, not the face or hair. A fixed showerhead, roughed in at 72 inches to 78 inches off the floor, is typical in many showers and tub/shower combinations.

Try to place the toilet facing an open wall or door, if possible, rather than a fixture. Generally, this will ensure enough clearance room in front of the toilet. For other bathrooms, aim for a 30-inch front clearance space for the toilet.

Toilets tend to be next to bathtubs because both of them tend to be in a small room that is kept rather private from the rest of the house and because both of them need to have fairly substantial plumbing in order to operate correctly.

Although your choices for shower size depend on your needs and the availability of space in your bathroom, the typical shower size is 36 x 36 inches or 9 square feet.

What is the smallest size for a walk-in shower? ›

The ADA suggests a minimum size of 36 inches by 36 inches for a walk-in shower, which features a bench attached to one wall for sitting. Even if you eschew the bench, 36 inches by 36 inches is a good minimum size for ease of showering.

Airy fabrics in bright or white colors allow more light into your small shower. Transparent or semi-transparent shower curtains allow you to see out to the bathroom, creating one big space instead of two smaller ones. Plus, it psychologically takes up less space than heavy curtains or opaque shower doors.

The average walk-in shower in the U.S. measures 60" x 30", though size options can vary widely, typically up to 60" x 42" for a rectangular shower and 42" x 42" for a square one. For smaller bathrooms, most experts recommend a shower enclosure no smaller than 36" x 36".

So what colors make a bathroom look bigger? According to basic design principles, light colors such as white, crème, pastel blue, gray or yellow will visually expand a room, while dark colors such as a deep red, green or brown, will make a room feel smaller.

The ancient Greeks were the first people to have showers. Their aqueducts and sewage systems made of lead pipes allowed water to be pumped both into and out of large communal shower rooms used by elites and common citizens alike.

Decorate With Color

Create a soothing and tranquil appearance in the bathroom by opting for soft colors like white, cream, yellow, light blue, gray, some shades of light or muted green and tan. Consider using a neutral background for the floor and walls of the bathroom in shades of taupe, tan, white or gray.

Walk-in showers don't need a door and are free of curtains and a bathtub, so you can enter them without navigating any steps or obstacles. These modern showers can be partially enclosed with half walls and panes of glass or totally open with no surrounding barriers, offering a unique bathing experience.

White is, of course, the most common choice - this looks naturally elegant and will complement most bathrooms. Choosing a white base or pan also makes things easier when you are looking to redecorate the room - it won't limit your options.

What type of shower floor is easiest to clean? ›

Acrylic and Fiberglass

They are among the easiest to clean since they come in a single sheet, hence eliminating the use of grout, which is not just hard to clean but also a perfect breeding grounds for mold and mildew. You also do not need to add a sealant, since they are readily water and bacteria resistant.

Glass, glazed ceramic, glazed porcelain, and natural stones are all suitable for shower floors. Glass is impervious to water and ceramic tile has a low absorption rate making both good to go for shower floors, including in steam showers.

If you have a shower with a door, leave the door open to air out the inside of the shower. Doing these simple things each day after you bathe is the easiest way to prevent mold and mildew growth.

Most shower doors are an average of 72 inches in height. Most contractors will eschew installing shower doors all the way to the ceiling because there needs to be room to allow steam and moisture to escape.

Shower controls often align vertically with showerheads to create a balanced look and simplify plumbing. However, it's important to be able to reach the controls to turn on the water without getting wet. For a large shower, consider positioning the controls within reach of the door.

The height of the door isn't regulated by code. But, the shower head's height should be at least 72 inches, and 80 inches is standard. Designs differ, but if you have a door in the shower, it should be high enough to prevent most of the water from escaping the compartment when it's closed.

The best and safest place to position your shower mixer is on the opposite wall to the shower head (if your layout permits it) or away from the shower head to avoid getting wet when warming up the shower.

If your faucet doesn't have integrated shutoff valves, install shutoff valves in the lines to the valve. For optimal comfort, position the faucet about 28 inches above the floor for a tub, and about 48 inches for a shower.

Decorate With Color

Create a soothing and tranquil appearance in the bathroom by opting for soft colors like white, cream, yellow, light blue, gray, some shades of light or muted green and tan. Consider using a neutral background for the floor and walls of the bathroom in shades of taupe, tan, white or gray.

What is a shower room UK? ›

Essentially, a wet room is created by sealing the walls and floor with a waterproof membrane, resulting in a space that's 100% watertight. Most wet rooms consist of an open, fully tiled shower area, without the need for a shower enclosure or tray.

A wet room is a totally waterproofed or tanked bathroom with a shower area at the same level as the rest of the floor. The water drains away through a flush drain within the shower area. As the walls and floor are sealed by a waterproof membrane, there is no risk of runaway water causing damage.

Porcelain tile is the most durable option. It's made from denser clays than ceramic and fired for longer at a higher temperature, making it stronger and less porous. As a result, it's highly resistant to water. Porcelain tile is also low maintenance, which is an upside for many homeowners.

Tiles – Natural stone and porcelain tiles are becoming the most popular choice in wet rooms as they give a beautiful, contemporary, hardwearing finish. Vinyl – Cost-effective and available in a wide range of colours and styles, vinyl is a common choice for wet room flooring outside of the shower area.

Generally, building a walk-in shower requires gutting walls to access plumbing pipes, applying waterproof poly sheeting to the walls and floor, rebuilding walls using moisture-resistant drywall or backer board, installing drains, and pouring mortar to create shower pans.

A wet room is completely open plan, with waterproof walls and flooring, as well as a central drain that allows water to flow out easily. A shower room is similar to a bathroom, with the exception that it is usually separated by one or more panels and has its own drainage system.

Walk-in showers don't need a door and are free of curtains and a bathtub, so you can enter them without navigating any steps or obstacles. These modern showers can be partially enclosed with half walls and panes of glass or totally open with no surrounding barriers, offering a unique bathing experience.

The shower tray is a critical component of your shower enclosure because it directs the water flow to the drainage point in your bathroom. You need to pick the right one that's well-built and long-lasting. Installation is important as well.

Just as there are toilets that suit both small and larger spaces, there are toilets to fit almost any style of wet room or bathroom! If a traditional finish is more your style, opt for a high level, low level or close coupled toilet.

Do you need shower tray? ›

CREATING A WET ROOM

Wet rooms don't require a shower tray as the water drains away through a drain in the floor. To achieve a true wet room, a watertight environment needs to be created by tanking the entire space including the floors and walls to prevent leaks.

Traditionally European-designed bathrooms do not have enclosures, which helps make the space appear larger. They have an open design that may include a wet room. Wet rooms allow you to maximize space by eliminating the shower enclosure, which opens a bathroom floorplan, making it appear larger.